Imperiale has even more ties to the Netherlands. In 2016, two stolen works by the painter Vincent van Gogh were found at his villa in Italy. He also had a restaurant and café in the Netherlands in the 1990s, which is how he ended up in the international drug trade,’ says the journalist Sanne de Boer, also author of the book Mafiopoli.
Imperiale was arrested in Dubai last August. The 48-year-old super boss of drug trafficking, according to the Italian media, with his statements could shed light on about two decades of organized crime for the mafia.
According to De Boer, what Imperiale will say is particularly interesting. It is not yet clear what kind of agreement he has made with the judiciary. Italy will first want to question him about his activities in their own country and his links with the Camorra clan.’
Dutch role
But it is possible that the Dutch judiciary will benefit from this agreement, thinks De Boer. “It has already happened that a member of the mafia has made incriminating statements which have been very valuable to the Netherlands.”